SlammedDC2's I can't make up my mind 125g (new pics 4-30)

[SlammedDC2]

I picked up a 125g from my brothers friend who didn't want to move it for $50. Bought a new stand that the LFS had sitting in a back room for 3 years for $200.

New pics
post 8
post 15
post 22
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post 89

1-3-11 FTS


1-21-11 FTS


2-2-12 FTS


2-12-12 FTS


4-30-12 FTS


Tank: 125g open top

Substrate: 70lbs MTS capped with 100lbs PFS

Filtration: CPR CS-102 HOB overflow (rated at 1200gph) to a 29g sump, 1350gph return pump.

Lighting: 72" T5HO 4x6500k

co2: GLA regulator with 10lb tank, grigg style reactor

Heat: 800watt titanium heater w/ rf1200 controller

Fish:
Panda cories
Bloodfin tetras
Cardinal tetras
Black tetras
ottos
Amano shrimp

Plants:
amazon sword
red rubin sword
broad leaf sword
tall sag
jungle val
contortion val
anacharis
cabomba
hornwort
red tiger lotus
Hygrophila Corymbosa Kompakt
Sunset hygro
Limnophila Aromatica
Narrow leaf ludwigia
frogbit
Erios Parkeri
Ludwigia repens
Rotala rotundifolia
Limnophila aromatica 'hippuroides'
staurogyne sp. purple sadly I couldn't keep this alive
fissedens moss
flame moss
Cryptocoryne Balansae
Cryptocoryne parva
Staurogyne Repens
Ludwigia sp 'red'
a few others I don't know the name of

looking for
Bacopa salzmannii (aka sp. 'Araguaia')
Pogostemon Stellata
Rotala Wallichii

Initial setup
MTS with sand border


capped with sand


crappy pic but it was full


Guard dog


not a guard dog


Updated pic of sump and how it is set up, also have the co2 hooked up and running with my reactor. Not sure how much I like the reactor atm, well see how it goes.


shot of mech and bio with ferts in front

[GoldenTetra]

Thats a very nice tank, what a steal! I'm looking forward to seeing how this is going to pan out! Can't wait to see the end result. Are you going low or high tech with this tank?

[SlammedDC2]

Originally Posted by GoldenTetra

Thats a very nice tank, what a steal! I'm looking forward to seeing how this is going to pan out! Can't wait to see the end result. Are you going low or high tech with this tank?

Thank you. I was happy to pick it up, only a 2 hour drive to get it and got to spend a fun weekend with my little brother in the process.
I'm kind of anxious myself. All my other tanks have been neglected since I started on this one. It is a low tech tank.

[nonconductive]

woah, awesome deal!!

and nice start! look forward to seeing it planted

[SlammedDC2]

I tried to get some decent pics up last night but without the light it just doesn't look right. Oh well only a few days till it comes in and then I'll get some better pics.

Thanks man, I've followed yours as well and love how yours has come along.

Originally Posted by nonconductive

woah, awesome deal!!

and nice start! look forward to seeing it planted

[SlammedDC2]

Okay so last night I had a little mishap with the sump. Went to get something out of the first chamber with the filter floss and the wall washed away. Oh well that means I get to pull it all out and build it again, better. Well with me having a 29g sump in the stand the only way it can come out is straight through the top.
Drained the tank after a week of cycling and pulled the sump out. I went to Lowes today on lunch and picked up a gate valve I wanted to put in anyway and some new silicone.
I rebuilt the sump better than I originally built it. The 1st version was 3 chambers and on set up one baffle washed out. Oh well I was eager to press on. Well now it has 4 chambers. Done alot of reading on sumps the last 2 days and got a better idea of how I wanted to build it.
Sorry for the random typing and rambling. I will post some pictures tomorrow. I plan to have the sump back in place with all the plumbing reworked/replaced tomorrow evening and water back in by Wednesday.

[SlammedDC2]

Okay so my work computer sucks and freezes everytime I plug the camera in. I'll have to figure out how to use my wifes mac tonight.
On a lighter note my lights and heater came in today. You should have seen my trying to fit a six and a half foot long box into my car....then realized that it's just to long. Good thing one of my co-workers is trading cars tonight so I can get it home. Hopefully I can get some updated pics loaded tonight.

[SlammedDC2]

I was happy to see the fex ex guy pull up at work with a 6 foot long box. My light, heater and controller were finally in. The box wouldn't fit in the car. With the pass seat laid down and the box on the windshield from the back door it still had a good foot hanging out.
Thank fully one of my co workers let me borrow his truck for the night.

Anyway got home, put the sump back under the tank. Painted all the visible pvc piping black. Put everything in the sump and added water and plants. There's not alot in there and it is by no means scaped, just wanted to get the plants in the tank since it went down the day they came in.

Here's the sump








side shot






Lights and piping


Tank

[cableguy69846]

Wow. That is one heck of a find. I gotta ask though, are those loofahs in the sump? Excellent.

I will be following along on this one.

[nonconductive]

nice job on the sump. hope it holds for you this time.

[SlammedDC2]

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

Wow. That is one heck of a find. I gotta ask though, are those loofahs in the sump? Excellent.

I will be following along on this one.

Thank you. They sure are.

Originally Posted by nonconductive

nice job on the sump. hope it holds for you this time.

Thanks man me too. Everything seems a lot better this time.
First time around I did it pretty but weak. Well screw that it's inside the stand anyway so I don't care how gooped on the silicone is.

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by SlammedDC2

Thank you. They sure are.


Thanks man me too. Everything seems a lot better this time.
First time around I did it pretty but weak. Well screw that it's inside the stand anyway so I don't care how gooped on the silicone is.

It doesn't have to be pretty if it is hidden. As long as it works, right? It does look good though.

[SlammedDC2]

Originally Posted by cableguy69846

It doesn't have to be pretty if it is hidden. As long as it works, right? It does look good though.

As long as it functions. Thank you

[cableguy69846]

Originally Posted by SlammedDC2

As long as it functions. Thank you

No problem man.

[SlammedDC2]

If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck.

About two weeks ago I came home from work to see the water level was a little low, I take a knee to look at the sump but my knee is soaking wet. Gate valve was leaking.
So I drained the tank and pulled the piping down and re set everything. I decided since I was bringing the piping down I would go ahead and build a PVC overflow so I wouldn't have to worry about burning my pump up in the event of a power failure.

I got it all in only to find out that the overflow was no where near enough gph.
Screw it, I'm tired of draining and refilling the tank. I broke down and ordered a CPR CS-102 1200gph HOB overflow. I love this thing. It's awesome, quiet, and flows great.

I also added some plants. These pics are from this past weekend. I have moved some swords and added some anacharis. I will take new pics this weekend.


right


right middle


left middle


left


right side


left side


I ordered a piece of manazita this week to add in.

I'm hoping to start adding some fish in this weekend.